


Can't You Hear Me Knocking

by ObliqueOptimism



Series: The Rolling Scones Bakery [3]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Not Beta Read, Unreliable Narrator, modern dave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:20:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26133352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObliqueOptimism/pseuds/ObliqueOptimism
Summary: Diego was starting to worry about Klaus. He hadn't seen him in a while and last they'd spoken, he kept mentioning aDave. Diego had learned long ago to not trust Klaus's boyfriends. He found himself explaining this to the nice baker who gave him a free scone... and then found some other things as well.
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Series: The Rolling Scones Bakery [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872691
Comments: 203
Kudos: 781





	1. Y’all Got Cocaine Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> listen, i was wanting to write more of .death becomes him. but then this happened instead?  
> thanks to rem and penn for helping me, y'all are amazing for putting up with me

Diego was getting worried. 

Not that he’d admit that.

But he hadn’t seen Klaus in _a while._

And that maybe wasn’t _that_ unusual but it wasn’t the norm either. Seeing him on the street or to wake up with him breaking in or to get a call from him as he needed a ride somewhere or some cash for his drugs was the norm. Last time he’d seen Klaus he’d appeared on the roof Diego was having a fight on and was cheering for his dealer to win the fight and then when Diego won he claimed he’d been betting on Diego from the start. 

Asshole.

Diego had dropped the dealer off so an officer could find him, then he whisked Klaus away to feed him. 

He never ate much.

But he had looked like he was starting to take better care of himself lately, which was always good to see. The bad thing, the thing that made Diego worry, was that Klaus wouldn’t shut up about this _Dave_ person.

 _Dave_ seemed too good to be true. 

He knew the type of people who were drawn to Klaus and they were not good Samaritans. They were dealers and junkies and abusive assholes and people who ran sex trafficing rings and who would kidnap the homeless and sex workers from the streets and ship them to Russia where they could become a sex slave to some crazy Russian mob boss.

And this _Dave_ could have done any of that to his baby bro. 

Klaus was always too trusting, too forgiving.

Diego found he was hoping that he’d go home at the end of the day and find Klaus shooting up with heroin on his sofa. While Diego _didn’t_ want to see Klaus do _any_ drugs, let alone heroin, he’d at least know Klaus was _alive_.

Alive and not beat half to death by _Dave_ , kept high and used just for sex because Klaus trusted him as he’d been _nice_ to Klaus. And Diego knew it didn’t take much for Klaus to think someone was being _nice_ to him. He’d even defended some of the fuckers who had abused him, saying they apologized and bought him drugs as a way to say they were sorry. 

“You know, I just worry about my brother,” Diego explained to the nice baker as he ate his scone. “Sorry, I don’t normally dump all my feelings on strangers.” He didn’t even normally dump his feelings on friends or loved ones. It took months of dating Eudora before he opened up to her beyond surface level stuff. He’d kept it all fairly vague when telling the baker his worries, never giving out names. 

The baker gave a soft smile, “It’s okay. It seemed like you need to get some stuff off your chest. I’m sorry to hear about your brother. I hope he shows up soon and is okay.” 

Diego had walked into the bakery, half wanting to eat his feelings like he rarely did and half hoping that he could tempt fate and bring back some sweet snack just to find Klaus lounging around and getting a gleam in his eye as he planned a way to steal and eat said sweet snack. And then the baker said he looked a bit sad and gave him a scone on a plate.

It was a really good scone.

“Thanks, man. I just hope that this _Dave_ guy is as _nice_ as my brother says and my bro is just in rehab or something again,” Deigo pushed his now empty plate towards the baker.

The baker took it and hid it away behind the counter. Looking thoughtful, he said, “Huh, that’s funny. My name’s Dave.” He gave a small shrug. 

Diego held out his hand for a handshake, “Nice to meet you, Dave. I’m Diego.”

Dave clasped his hand and then as they were both shaking there was a loud noise from the floor above them, as if someone fell over followed by a very familiar and faint laugh. Diego and Dave both narrowed their eyes at each other at nearly the same time. Letting go of their grasp they took stock of each other. 

So this was _Dave_.

He didn’t trust him. 

“So Klaus is upstairs?” Diego asked coldy. He was probably keeping him here against his will. Or keeping him drugged up for sex whenever he wanted it. He’d finally found out where his brother was being kept and he wasn’t going to let _Dave_ keep him from his family, keep him locked up.

“Yes,” Dave said, voice almost as cold as Diego’s. It was still just a touch too warm though. He didn’t have near the anger as Diego did, clearly. _Dave_ was backing up towards the back doorway though so Diego was moving just as slowly around the counter so he could follow whenever _Dave_ made a run for it.

“Have you kidnapped him?” Diego asked, his fingers itched to get a knife so _Dave_ would know exactly how much trouble he was in.

“I have not,” _Dave’s_ brow furrowed, as if the _suggestion_ was upsetting to him. _As if_ he wasn’t keeping Klaus away from Diego, the sibling who looked out for and protected Klaus _the most_. 

The both paused and stared at each other once more, looking each other up and down and gauging how much of a problem the other was going to be. Then _Dave_ turned and went out the door and Diego gave chase. _Dave_ maybe knew the layout of land and had that to his advantage but Diego was probably in better shape than _a baker_ who _kidnapped homeless addicts_.

God he probably killed them when he got bored with them.

They both ended up going through the door to the apartment upstairs about the same time, _Dave_ just a touch faster. Once Diego found out what state his brother was in he’d be able to decide what he was going to do to _Dave_. 

It didn’t take long to find Klaus.

In fact he was sprawled on the sofa, his legs over the back and head almost hanging off the side. In his mouth was a joint and he appeared to _be knitting?_ Klaus dropped his knitting on his chest, took his joint out of his mouth and said, “It’s the Double D’s! Dave and Diego! Alas, Double D is not my bra size.” He put his hands towards his chest and modeled off his flat chest. 

Diego let out a groan while _Dave_ laughed and looked _charmed?_ by the joke. Klaus sent a sharp grin to _Dave_ and then fluttered his eyes. 

“Jesus, Klaus. What all does he give you, to keep you here?” Diego asked. Klaus _looked_ healthy. He was lounging in his stupid lace up leather pants and nothing else. For once, Diego was glad to see his brother without a shirt. Made it easier to spot bruises and there--

Were none?

Not even any new track marks.

There was scarring from his old ones, and last time Diego spent enough time around Klaus to check, he’d had new ones yet. He’d still been on heroin and god knew what else. 

But there were no new ones.

That didn’t mean _Dave_ didn’t keep him drugged up so he could hurt him. Even though he looked like he’d been eating more (he should, he was living with a baker) and he’d smiled like he was happy and _Dave_ had looked like he was _enchanted_ by Klaus like Klaus was _something special_ and--

“Oh,” Diego said before Klaus could answer, “Klaus.” His tone went from worried to annoyed. “This is a new low.”

“What?” Klaus exclaimed, sitting up, swinging his legs around so they were on the floor. His knitting fell and hit his lap. 

“You’re _taking advantage_ of this nice baker?” Diego shook his head. Klaus flinched, confirming Diego’s thoughts on the matter. 

Poor Dave.

Who knew what lies Klaus had told him. But he was a charming bastard. It wasn’t the first ordinary person to fall prey to Klaus, but normally they didn’t last as long as this Dave guy did. Diego remembered the story of that one guy who cooked some fancy dish really well and Klaus stayed with him for three weeks. Diego had been hearing about Dave for a while now so the poor guy was probably all sorts of confused as to what Klaus was _actually_ like.

“Hey!” Dave yelled, sounding as angry, if not more so, as Diego was earlier. “Don’t talk to him like that! He’s not-- he’s not _taking advantage_ of me!”

Diego turned to Dave, “Sorry to be the one to tell you, but he is. He’s a hopeless drug addict and he’s using you for a place to stay, for free food. I bet you give him money? Tells you he just smokes some weed? Dave, he’s a hardcore addict. He’s using you. He ever say he loves you? Klaus doesn’t love anyone but himself.”

Dave reared back and then punched Diego in the face.

The man could _pack a punch_. Apparently baking built some muscle. 

Diego stumbled back and held his face as Klaus got up from the sofa, knitting falling to the floor, join landing near the yarn, and went to _Dave’s_ side and _Dave_ was--

Panicking?

“Oh my god! I punched him! Klaus! I’ve never punched someone before! _It hurt?_ Klaus, oh my god,” Dave said as Klaus was chuckling and grabbing at Dave’s hand.

“I gotta teach you how to fight sometime, Davey,” Klaus said, moving each of Dave’s fingers one by one. “You _don’t_ keep your thumb inside the fist. You break it that way.”

Dave’s eyebrows shot up, “Did I break my thumb?”

Diego watched them, still holding his jaw and realizing that this Dave-- well this was proof that he’d never punched Klaus before. As he’d turned to violence against Diego so quickly he started to wonder if he’d be right earlier about the abuse, and he still could be. Just because he didn’t know how to fight didn’t mean he didn’t know how to _hurt_.

“Do you want me to take you to the hospital?” Klaus asked, lightly kissing Dave’s thumb.

Dave looked concerned, “No, it’s fine. And if I do need to go you can stay here. You _hate_ hospitals. I wouldn’t ask that of you.”

“I’d risk it for you,” Klaus winked. 

“Huh,” Diego said eloquently. 

He stared at the two of them who turned towards him as if they’d forgotten he was there. 

Diego had never seen anyone put what Klaus wanted above themselves, nor had he seen Klaus say he’d _willingly_ go into a hospital. He turned and sat down at the table so he could watch them. But they just stared at him for a few seconds before Dave, with his hand still in Klaus’s, said, “Sorry I punched you? I didn’t mean it. But you-- You were hurting Klaus!”

“What? No I wasn’t,” Diego said. He hadn’t laid a hand on his brother.

Dave turned slightly, so he was standing in front of Klaus, as if he was his new protector. _Having to protect Klaus from Diego._ As if Diego hadn’t been Klaus’s protector all of these years. “You were! You were saying awful things that he doesn’t need to hear.”

“What? No, I was trying to make you see the truth,” Diego said gently. “I had thought he was using you. He tends to use people. But he doesn’t seem to be using you. Somehow it seems he actually likes you.”

“He does,” Dave said.

Klaus snorted, amused, “God, Diego. You sound like a teenager. _Of course_ I like him. He’s my boyfriend!” He then leaned his head against Dave’s shoulder, “I _like like_ you.”

“Aw, spaghetti sauce, I _like like_ you too,” Dave grinned warmly at Klaus.

Klaus turned to his side and glared, “Shut up, Ben!”

Diego felt the punch to his gut like he did whenever Klaus hallucinated Ben. The punch hurt more than Dave’s had. At first he’d thought that Klaus was claiming to see Ben so he could get noticed, some attention; but he never stopped. Even when Diego found him on the streets, sneaking up on his brother, he’d be talking to the air, _talking to Ben_. But he was high and there was no way he was talking to Ben.

And Klaus was still high. 

There was no way he was talking to Ben.

Sure, Klaus didn’t seem to be on any of the harder drugs, but he was still high. Diego had seen Klaus on just about every drug. He knew how he acted on the really bad ones, how he looked. And this wasn’t it. 

He looked

Happy.

Dave meanwhile shot a guarded look to Diego before wrapping an arm around Klaus’s shoulders, “What’d Ben say?”

Klaus huffed, “Said if you broke your thumb it's my fault because if I had checked in with Diego he wouldn’t have tracked me down here.”

“I didn’t track you down. I’m not a bloodhound,” Diego defended. “It just-- I was eating a scone.”

Klaus nodded and pointed at Diego, “Right? _So good.”_

“Yeah, why’d you stop visiting your brother?” Dave asked, leading Klaus to sit back down on the sofa. They sat close together, knees touching. “He was very worried about you. Thought this _Dave_ character was hurting you.”

Klaus grabbed his joint from where it fell when he’d jumped up earlier, “Um. Well mostly I didn’t want to be thrown in rehab again. And y’know, I didn’t need to annoy him. I know he finds me--” Klaus turned to Diego and took a breath as if what he was about to say was big, “I know I’m bothersome and a burden to you. And you throw me out when I do drugs and you don’t ever have any groceries besides some eggs and bread and how if we weren’t brothers you would have tried to do your citizen’s arrest on me because I was a junkie whore and--”

 _“Was?”_ Diego asked. Hearing all of this hurt him, he hadn’t realized he made Klaus feel like that but the _was_ caught his attention.

Klaus shrugged, “Just y’know, an addict. But I’m not whoring myself out anymore. Uh, I don’t need to and y’know. Felt like I was cheating on Dave.”

Diego’s eyebrows rose, “Holy shit. You’re serious about dating him!”

Klaus rolled his eyes, _“Uh, duh?”_

Diego sighed and scratched the back of his head, “Okay. So Dave. I’m sorry I thought you were a serial killer and all that.”

“You what?! A serial killer?” Dave exclaimed.

“But I’m still watching you. And you, idiot,” Diego locked eyes with Klaus, “check in with me sometimes. I thought you could’ve been dead or sold to a mob boss or something.”

Dave snorted in amusement. Diego wasn’t sure why but he wasn’t about to ask about what sort of weird sex roleplay the two of them probably had. He already knew too much about his brother’s sex life.

“Well I’m watching you, right back!” Dave said. “And Klaus can teach me how to punch without breaking my thumb, _which, cabbage patch? I maybe did break? Should it hurt this much?_ And then you’ll have to respect Klaus’s wishes because otherwise I’ll-- I’ll punch you again? _Klaus I am not good at making threats.”_

Klaus patted Dave’s knee, “I know, Davey dove. It’s okay. You’re good at other things.” He took a hit of his joint and then said to Diego, as if it pained him, _“I guess I can come visit and check in with you.”_

“Well don’t go out of your way,” Diego said dryly.

Klaus grinned, “Okay! I won’t!”

Asshole.

“Um,” Dave said hesitantly, “is your face okay? I can get you an ice pack? And then um, I should probably go back to the bakery. It’s left open. Klaus, do you want a few minutes up here with your brother so you guys can talk about things or do you want me to escort him out?”

Klaus let out a long sigh, “I guess I should clear some things up.”

“You okay if I leave you two alone or do should I--”

“Go back to your little bakery. Gotta make that dough!” Klaus cackled.

Dave gave another warm look to Klaus.

Boy this baker was really in love with his drug addicted brother, huh?

The two said their goodbyes and shared a quick kiss before Dave left. As he went out the door he blew a kiss to Klaus and then took his two fingers and pointed at his eyes and back to Diego, the universal sign for _I’m watching you_. Diego snorted. Dave was not at all as scary as he thought he was.

As soon as he left and they heard him all the way in the bakery, Klaus turned to Diego and nearly yelled, “He doesn’t know about the Academy or the ghosts or any of that! I think he thinks our dad is a mob boss!”

_“Jesus, Klaus!”_

His brother was an idiot.


	2. Yeah, You Got Speed-Freak Jive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> surprise chapter two!

It was early morning, the gym wasn’t open, and Diego was in the shower. Three reasons why he didn’t expect to find anyone else in the showerroom with him. And yet--

And yet he turned and there was his brother, Klaus. 

Just waiting for Diego to get done with his morning shower as if this was somehow _normal_ and not _insane_. “What the fuck, Klaus?” Diego asked, quickly turning the water off and grabbing his towel. He wasn’t even done with his shower but he wasn’t going to-- not while Klaus was there.

“You wanted me to start checking in,” Klaus shrugged.

“Not while I’m in the shower!” Diego growled, stomping past his brother. “For fuck’s sake!”

“Relax, broski! I’ve seen so many dicks yours doesn’t even enter these memory banks,” Klaus tapped his temple. 

“No, that’s the years of drug abuse,” Diego muttered.

Klaus shrugged, unbothered. “Anyway, now that I have your attention--”

“You walked in on my shower!”

“--I am cordially inviting you to dinner tomorrow night,” Klaus finished.

Diego stopped in his tracks and turned so fast he splattered Klaus with some water, “What?”

Klaus glanced to the side for a second before looking back at Diego, “Dave wants to uh, invite you over for dinner tomorrow night. Something about getting to know you, as you're my brother who seems to actually care about my well-being or some shit and how he’s sorry he punched you but you deserved it for being mean. Not his direct words.” He glanced to the side again, “ _Hmm?_ Oh. Well I don’t remember his direct words do I? That was uh,” Klaus laughed, “last night? And I was pretty high. Honestly, Dave should be happy I remembered to invite him today.” Klaus then gave Diego a bright smile, “Dave wants to play happy families! And we’ve never had that but wanna try?”

Diego sighed deeply, “Fine. Whatever.”

Klaus clapped and bounced on his toes, “Oh goody. Dave will be so happy. Also side note: I still haven’t mentioned the whole y’know, powers thing or the Academy thing or any of that so let’s not bring that up tomorrow, shall we?”

“Maybe you should rethink that and tell him the truth,” Diego rolled his eyes, going back towards his room again so he could get dressed. Hopefully alone and in peace. “Why don’t you go do that right now?”

“Nuh-uh. I don’t think so. Things are good as they stand and we’d best not rock the boat or I may cry,” Klaus wiped a fake tear away. “Diego, do you _want_ me to cry? How could you want your poor, defenceless brother to become homeless again, eating out of poisoned dumpsters, getting back on heroin all because I told Dave about my tragic backstory too early and he wasn’t madly in love with me yet?” He paused, “I do miss that mistress heroin.”

“Fine, I get it. I’ll keep my mouth shut,” Diego glared. “But you _should_ tell him. And soon. The longer you put it off the worse it’ll be.”

“God it sounds like an echo in here,” Klaus chuckled, looking sad. “Yeah I know but I-- I really like him, Di. He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met and if he knew the real me he’d think the same thing everyone does.” Diego turned to stare at his brother. He hadn’t heard Klaus sound so vulnerable in years. He was smiling slightly, but it was a sad one. No way anyone would think that Klaus was happy in that moment, that he was happy with himself. “But maybe-- I know it’s dumb, but maybe one day I can be the person he sees, y’know?” His laugh sounded hollow and Diego frowned deeply as Klaus continued, “Can you imagine?”

Diego put a hand on Klaus’s shoulder, “I can. I think I’d like to meet the Klaus that Dave sees someday.”

Klaus shrugged, “Well that day ain’t today!” He clapped his hands once and shook his head. “Okay, so dinner. Tomorrow. Be there or I’ll come back and pawn all your knives for drug money.”

“You wouldn’t!” Diego yelled as Klaus walked away waving and saying: _Ciao._

Diego didn’t put too much thought into Klaus and Dave until it was time to head to _their?_ place the next day. It would, hopefully, be nice to see Klaus again and it _would_ be good to vet Dave a bit more than he did last time. Make sure Dave was as nice as Klaus claimed and as nice as he seemed. 

Diego still didn’t trust him.

What did a baker see in an addict like Klaus?

Oh god, now he thinking that his brother must be good in bed and he already knew too much about Klaus’s sex life and he did not need to think that sex was the main reason Dave kept Klaus around. Not only would it mean Klaus was being used for sex but because he did not want to think about their sex life.

It wasn’t until he arrived at the door that Diego realized it was the social norm to bring a dessert (but Dave’s a baker?) or a bottle of wine (he didn’t want to enable Klaus’s addictions) when someone invited you over for dinner.

He knocked on the side door that led to the apartment instead of the bakery.

He knocked again.

Before he could say _screw this_ and leave, the door opened and Klaus was panting slightly as if he ran to the door, “Diego! You made it!” Some smoke came out the door behind him. 

Diego sighed, “Did you set fire to something?”

Klaus belted out a laugh, snorting slightly before saying, “I didn’t mean to!” Klaus then grabbed Diego’s arm and pulled him inside. “Davey dove! Diego is here!” The smell of burnt food was stronger inside. The smoke wasn’t heavy, thankfully. Windows were open though. 

He let himself get dragged into the kitchen where Dave turned and smiled as he dumped something that looked a bit blackened in the trash, “Klaus wanted to help.”

“You should never let him cook,” Diego gave a small smirk, sharing a look with Dave over how bad Klaus was in the kitchen. He couldn’t believe he was having this shared moment with _Dave._

Klaus let out a loud noise of protest, “I cook ramen! And scrambled eggs! I’ve cooked scrambled eggs at yours! And! _And!_ Dave lets me help bake! I get to knead dough! Have you ever kneaded dough, Diego?”

Diego squinted his eyes at Klaus, “Of course. I’ve helped mom in the kitchen whenever dad was out of town on business.” 

Klaus snorted, “ _Of course._ I just used that time to drink in peace. No worries about dear _papa_ finding me.”

“But the tapes?” Diego questioned. “He always watched them when he got back.”

Klaus blew a raspberry, leading him to the living room, “Nah. He had Pogo report to him what he saw. You think dad got home from his shady business dealings and then watched all the surveillance he had on us? He had more _important_ things to do than to see what we’ve done.”

Diego tilted his head. Klaus was probably onto something. He never saw their dad look at the tapes but he had assumed he did at some point. Probably when he never slept because he was a vampire or something. But there were plenty of times growing up that Diego had expected to get in trouble once their dad came back and he yet he didn’t. “Huh.”

 _“You know I’m right,”_ Klaus sing-songed. The asshole.

Dave cleared his throat, “Klaus? Can you help me for a moment?”

Klaus beamed at him, looking genuinely happy, “Of course!” He hopped over to where Dave led him.

Diego looked around the living room. 

He saw signs of Klaus thrown around casually. His sandals by the door, notes with drawings or writing that was clearly his brother’s. Half smoked joints in ash trays, a scarf Diego recognized as Allison’s over the back of a chair, an eye liner pencil on a table. There was a night light plugged in.

Dave had a night light for Klaus.

Diego didn’t have a night light. When Klaus stayed Diego made sure there was a lamp on but he’d never bought night lights. He’d never gone out of his way to help Klaus with his fear of the dark. Hell, half the time he didn’t bother turning on the lamp, knowing Klaus was passed out and would stay that way til sunrise. 

He wasn’t sure what caused Klaus’s fear. He had some ideas, none of them good. 

But he’d heard Klaus beg to be let out during nightmares or while he was on a bad trip, a bad come down. 

He wondered what Dave knew, had he heard the begging? The pleading? Did he know more than Diego as to what caused this?

 _Probably not_. Dave still didn’t know about the Academy and everything that entailed.

How did Klaus explain his fear of the dark? The claustrophobia was less strange, plenty of people had that. Did he explain his dislike of gore? His knowledge about decaying and dead bodies? Of weapons and fighting and how he can gauge a man’s eyes out?

Doubtful.

But Diego didn’t expect much more from his brother. It was clear that Klaus liked Dave, _actually liked him_ , but Diego was still hesitant to think it was more than that. That Klaus loved Dave, was actually happy here, that he wasn’t using Dave for some shelter and some food. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Klaus but--

He didn’t trust Klaus.

_Not anymore._

He loved his brother and he looked out for him and he wanted what was best for him, but he didn’t trust him.

 _“Dave,”_ Diego heard Klaus draw his name out, “let me help! You trust me, right?”

“Of course I trust you puddin’ pop,” Dave’s voice was soft and loving in a way Diego grew up hearing from their mom. “But last time it caught fire.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“Unless roasting marshmallows, usually, yes.”

Diego snorted to himself in amusement at listening in on their conversation. 

“Well can we make one of those on fire desserts? _With your little blowtorch_.”

“Speaking of, I was looking for it the other day.”

Klaus let out a thoughtful hum. Diego smirked, knowing what that particular sound meant. “I maybe? Borrowed it.”

“If you put it back we may have creme brulee tonight,” Dave responded, sounding fond.

“The fire custard?”

Dave’s laugh was warm, “That’s the one.”

Klaus clapped.

Diego hadn’t met many of the people Klaus had dated over the years but whenever he did, they never acted like this. Like they actually ~~loved~~ enjoyed each other. Maybe what Klaus had been saying was right, that this _Dave_ was good and that Klaus _wasn’t_ taking advantage of him. 

It seemed like such a strange concept for Diego: Klaus honestly and genuinely liking someone. As far as Diego could tell, Klaus didn’t like _anyone_ , let alone himself. Oh he’d love freely, but _like_ them? No. It wasn’t his way. Klaus was too broken from whatever their dad put him through, from the ghosts, the drink, the drugs to _like_ someone. 

As far as Diego thought, this day would never happen and Klaus would be dead before he found someone who he cared for and who cared back.

Not that he wanted his brother to die young, but he knew the statistics. He knew how unlikely it was that Klaus would survive to 30 at the rate he was going. And as he still drank and did drugs the odds were still against him but no longer being homeless? Having someone ~~love~~ care about him? Maybe he’d make it 30 with Dave’s help.

As long as Klaus didn’t be his annoying self and get kicked out.

He was not looking forward to the day Klaus showed up at Diego’s, telling him how he fucked up and Dave threw him out. Did drugs too much, got too high, overdosed, fucked around too much and Dave just couldn’t take it any longer. 

Maybe Diego could help explain stuff to Dave about Klaus. To help prevent Dave getting fed up with his brother and sending him back to the streets. If Dave fully understood better-- God he couldn’t tell Dave about the Academy without Klaus agreeing. That would be unforgivable, on par with what Vanya did. But if he hinted at it and then Dave made the realization on his own--

Klaus popped his head in the room, “Diego, dear. Before the lasagna we’re having a salad. Would you mind helping cut up all the uh, lettuce? And _carrots?_ ” He turned his head back towards the kitchen, “I don’t know what all you put in salads, Dave dove. I mean I eat them when you make them but fuck if I know _what_ I’m eating when I cover it in ranch.”

Diego was just impressed Klaus was eating his vegetables for Dave. Covered in ranch or not.

Diego got up and joined them in the kitchen, “Ready to slice and dice.”

Klaus clapped, “As I thought! You always are. Too fond of knives if you ask me.”

Diego rolled his eyes and walked up to where the cutting board was with a knife beside it and lettuce on top, “I am as fond as knives as I need to be. _You_ are too fond of knives.”

“A little knife play never hurt anyone,” Klaus chuckled. “Or it has? But that’s the point of it. Ha! _The point of it!_ Get it?” Dave smiled at him for the comment. “Anyway it's very freeing when you stab a cop.”

“Please don’t stab cops,” Diego pleaded, picking up the knife.

 _“Too late,”_ Klaus sing-songed with a wink sent to Dave. 

“Oh,” Dave said, sounding sad while looking at Diego. “You too, huh?”

“What?” Diego glared, pointing the knife at Dave.

“That’s uh-- That’s not how you hold a knife when cutting up food,” Dave said, slowly walking towards Diego. It looked like he was moving deliberately, telegraphing his movements so not to scare Diego? Diego didn’t understand why Dave was acting like him coming closer would _frighten him_. But then Dave reached out and gently moved the knife in Diego’s hand so he was holding it differently. It felt odd in his grasp. “This is how you hold a knife when cutting veggies.”

Diego took note with a tilt of his head before spinning the knife quickly and holding it how he had been before, “Well this is how you hold a knife when cutting a throat. See how I’m grasping it? Like an extension of my arm. In case you ever need to--”

 _“Cut someone’s throat?”_ Dave sounded odd. Scared? Scandalized? Frightened?

Klaus nodded, “Important to know. But man, you’re cutting a head of lettuce not a head of a person! Get it right? God, Di! _Did you not know how to slice veggies?_ Missed that in your knife training, eh?”

Dave turned to Klaus, “I had to teach you too.”

Klaus shrugged, “Yes but when would I learn how to use knives? They weren’t part of my training except when daddy had Diego throw knives at me.”

Dave muttered something to himself and held his face in his hands, _“Anyway!_ Klaus! Go back to adding the garlic butter to the bread. Diego! The lettuce, please.”

Diego and Klaus shared a look and shrugged. Then flipping the knife expertly in his hand again, Diego held the knife like Dave had instructed and started cutting the lettuce for some salad. Dave was onto something as this was the easiest time he’d had cutting up food. Turned out cooking was very different. He wondered why his mom had never corrected him when he helped her cook.

Dave moved around the kitchen with ease, obviously knowing what to do and acting like Klaus was an extension of himself. He’d be doing his own thing but keeping an eye on Klaus with ease and would turn to help him without prompting. _Dave cared._ He paid attention.

Diego also noticed the little glances Dave sent him, checking up on how he was getting along with the veggies. He didn’t come over to help or give more pointers to Diego, but Diego found himself finding comfort in the small glances, feeling safe. If he started to mess up again like he had at the start, Dave would notice and help.

_Huh._

No wonder Klaus liked him.

Soon the meal was finished with prepping and with ten minutes to go, Dave put the garlic bread in the oven. The lasagna was smelling very good and Diego was getting hungry. He was surprised at how relaxed he felt and how much he was looking forward to the food. He looked once more between his brother and Dave, watching the two of them work together seamlessly.

Klaus then caught Diego looking between him and Dave and after a glance to the side he smirked, “Attention! I am going to go have a quick smoke by the wall outside because _someone_ clearly wants to gossip about lil’ ol’ me.”

Diego opened his mouth to protest when Dave tilted his head, “Huh?”

“Of course you want to gossip! It’s practically a family tradition to do it behind someone’s back. Or in front of them, honestly. Traditions must be upheld! And what else would you both gossip about besides _moi?_ ” Klaus let out an amused snort at the idea. He started backing out of the kitchen, “So I’ll have a little smoke, y’know, _cigarettes_ , all legal here, Diego.” Diego did not believe that at all considering he saw a joint in the living room. 

“Now Diego,” Klaus pointed at him, “no threatening Dave. And Dave, dear, no threatening Diego!” He blew Dave a kiss and left the room. They heard him stumble in the living room and then hiss out a semi-quiet, _“I want a full report, tell me everything they say!”_

Diego and Dave turned to each other. Diego crossed his arms and frowned. Dave gave a sheepish smile, “Ben’s listening in.”

“You know Ben isn’t real right?” Diego asked hesitantly. “He’s a hallucination from the drugs.”

“Sure,” Dave agreed with a shrug. “But he’s real to Klaus and that’s what matters.”

Diego paused and thought about that. Ben did seem real to Klaus. At first he thought he was an attempt at attention but now Diego thought differently. “How much do you know about Ben?”

“Klaus says he’s your deceased brother?” Dave asked quietly. Diego nodded. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Diego shrugged, “Thank you. Klaus didn’t-- he didn’t take his death well. None of us did.”

“But Klaus started seeing him?” Dave hedged. “Did he always um, _see_ things?”

Diego let out a harsh laugh, “Yeah. _Yeah,_ you could say that.”

 _See things_. 

Klaus had never particularly liked the ghosts he saw. He’d talk to them, try and hide in Diego’s room at night, beg to be left alone. He thought about Vanya’s book and how she said she thought Klaus preferred the ghosts as company. He wasn’t sure how she came to that conclusion, especially considering Klaus started drinking and doing drugs to get away from them and for attention from his family. But he couldn’t handle his powers. He couldn’t see ghosts when he was high, which was why Diego _knew_ Ben wasn’t real.

“I know you don’t like the drugs,” Dave started, “but you do realize they’re how he self-medicates, right?”

“Of course I know that,” Diego growled. He didn’t really enjoy the idea that Dave thought he was imparting some wisdom about Klaus, about _his brother_. 

“Have you-- Have you seen him sober _at all_ recently?” Dave opened the oven and checked on the bread.

 _“Not in years,”_ Diego replied. He’d sent Klaus to rehab over and over, but by the time he’d see Klaus again he’d be high or drunk. Or both. He _missed_ his brother. 

“I’ve seen him-- not sober, but close to it, a few times now,” Dave spoke so quietly, as if it pained him to speak of Klaus being sober. As if he _wanted_ Klaus high all the time. “It’s-- his hallucinations become too much for him, Diego. It’s more than just Ben and there are _a lot_ of them. He can’t-- he can’t handle it. I know you’re always on him about getting clean but Diego-- unless he gets professional help and they put him on some other medicine that blocks his hallucinations, it won’t happen. Lately he’s dialed the drugs back but-- And I don’t know if he ever saw professional help? From what I hear about your dad--”

“No. Dad thought he could help Klaus himself,” Diego muttered. He ran a hand over his face, “I don’t know _what_ all dad did to him but it didn’t help.”

He’d come back from his special training missing some part of him. Wherever he went, he didn’t all come back. He’d come back lost, large green eyes staring at nothing, voice hoarse, hands shaking. Then he’d change and be too loud, reaching out with his shaking hands and trying to touch them all. It took Diego too long to realize Klaus was trying to figure out if they were alive.

He’d still do that sometimes, reach out to make sure Diego was still alive. 

Whenever he knew that was why Klaus was reaching out, he’d let him. At least for a bit, so he could _know_. Other times when Klaus would try to go in for a hug or whatever, Diego wouldn’t let him. He’d maybe end up fighting him off which seemed to make Klaus just as happy as a hug would have.

He was a kinky mother fucker.

Diego knew more about Klaus’s sex life than he ever wanted to know.

“When he’s sober, Diego-- The panic attacks, the flashbacks, it’s-- _he’s terrified._ What he sees _terrifies_ him.”

Diego frowned deeply, “Panic attacks? _Flashbacks?_ ”

Dave nodded, “Yes. He-- I don’t think I can talk him into seeing a professional, at least not anytime soon. I-- I _care_ about him, Diego. I love your brother and want what's best for him. At this point in his life? That’s the drugs, letting him self-medicate. With help and support he may stop one day but we can’t force him and we have to let him choose. We just have to be there for him. Do you understand?”

“You want me to stop preaching for him to get clean?” Diego asked, bewildered. The idea of giving up on the fight for his brother wasn’t one easily thought about. Diego had always been there for Klaus, wanting what was _best_ for him and drugs were not _best_ for him. “To stop trying to help him?”

“Diego,” Dave said slowly, his tone making Diego pay close attention, “he had stopped visiting you once he had somewhere safe. Somewhere that didn’t force him to be something he wasn’t, a place where he could safely self-medicate his mental illness. And you-- you thought something bad had happened. _He loves you._ I know that. I know he loves you, you’re his brother. But he would rather stop seeing you than risk being taken to rehab again.”

Diego clenched his fist. Dave did have a point. Klaus had said he stopped coming by because he was worried Diego would-- He’d also said he thought he was a burden. While Diego did go out of his way to try and make sure Klaus as alive and-- not _well_ but _alive_ and how _he’d_ been the safe place before Dave, the fact that Klaus thought that Diego would drop him as soon as he had somewhere else to go.

“I know you care about him,” Dave continued. “If you still want Klaus in your life, you need to be more-- be more understanding. He’s doing a lot better than when I first met him and--”

“Thanks to you,” Diego said.

“Huh?”

“He’s doing better because of you,” Diego sighed. “I don’t know how you did it-- how you do it. He’s--”

 _“He’s wonderful,”_ Dave said warmly, a smile on his lips. “I love him.”

“Aww!” Klaus cooed from the doorway, hand over his heart. “I love you too!” 

Diego stood up straighter, trying to figure out when Klaus showed up and how much he heard. Dave looked softly at Klaus and reached out, kissing Klaus on the temple. Diego had never seen Klaus so loved. 

Then the timer on the oven went off and Dave got the lasagna and garlic bread out.

The serious conversation over as they went to sit around a table, Diego making sure to grab the salad he cut up. Klaus eyed the salad with distaste and held a giant bottle of ranch between him and the veggies as if it would protect him. 

Diego watched Klaus and how he pulled out a chair for Ben. He took a moment to watch as Klaus smiled at the empty space and then turned to Dave, his smile growing. He radiated happiness in that moment. And then it was ruined when Dave made him put some salad on his plate. A playful frown taken up where the smile had been, a roll of his eyes at the empty chair and then a _ton of ranch._

But he ate them.

Klaus ate his vegetables. 

Maybe Dave was right, maybe Diego needed to come to terms with the idea that Klaus wouldn’t be sober anytime soon, if ever. He should be glad that Klaus was healthier than he had been in years. Sleeping indoors, eating meals, _eating vegetables_ , having quit heroin and some of the other worse drugs. He was happy, he was safe, and _somehow_ Dave loved him.

And Klaus loved Dave.

Diego grabbed some of the garlic bread and flipped Klaus off when he winked at him. 

Klaus gasped and asked Ben if he’d seen that and then gasped louder yet, telling Dave that _both of his brothers_ flipped him off! And at the dinner table! Did he see? How rude they were! And after he made them garlic bread!

And Dave-- he was as charmed as he always seemed. Diego didn’t understand how he found Klaus charming but-- but maybe he didn’t understand much about his brother, not anymore and maybe, _maybe--_ he could get to know him and someday see this Klaus that Dave knew he could be.

Someday.

**Author's Note:**

> cowgaykermit @ tumblr


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